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I did go to a dentist, probably 20 years ago, and he bitched about my teeth. I argued that I brushed all the time, and he said it didn't matter. The sugar in my bloodstream did the damage from the inside out. Interesting, especially that long ago.

ETA: Well, that and I have genetically shitty teeth. I come from a long line of people with bizarre teeth issues, so I'm actually on the fortunate side of things that they're reasonably straight and all there.

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First things first: Lower carb/sugar intake. Get your immune system in check. Eat nutrient dense foods (offal once in a while).

I don't use toothpaste, don't feel I need it either. I just brush with water to remove any plaque. Oil pulling seems interesting. Oh, and every time I have some bone broth, I swoosh it around in my mouth and my teeth actually feel stronger and less sensitive afterwards!

Look at pictures of African tribesmen. They've got a mouthful of big shiny white teeth. They don't need no Colgate.

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I swear by Miswak. Though, apparently, not being the best advert for their use; I'd done a lot of damage to my teeth before becoming Muslim, but for 13 years (since becoming Muslim) I have only used miswak and they have preserved my teeth remarkably well.

One of my guys brought me a couple of Miswak sticks this morning from Suez. Very cheap, less than 1 USD each (compared with the $10 price I saw online). While I had heard of the Miswak sticks before, I don't see them used that much in Egypt but did see them used a bit in Nigeria when I was there.

I'm curious pdjesson, do you think your teeth getting better since you became Muslim had anything to do with following Halal laws?

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I use Weleda salt toothpaste which is fluoride-free. I am curious about trying mishwak myself.

Edited to Add: Have ordered four mishwaks at 50p each from Zamzam Direct, a Muslim shop in UK which ships internationally. Also got some black seed mineral toothpaste in a jar for 4.95 GBP plus a bar of black seed soap to try for a pound. With p&p order came to 10.65 GBP

I have used the company before for books (am learning Arabic) without problems.

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I try to use flouride-free toothpastes, as I don't think flouride is so good for us. However, I also sometimes have sensitive teeth, and haven't found a flouride-free for sensitive teeth yet. I want to look into re-mineralizing and see if that helps instead but I can only make so many changes in my life at a time. (-:

I'm so curious though; what does being Muslim have to do with tooth health? What changes did you make due to religion? I'm not familiar with Muslim traditions or religious laws so I'm curious!

~Mollie

Started PB on Monday, June 4. I'm focusing on my health in 2012, including taking natural supplements, zumba and strength training, regular church attendance and studying the Bible, spending time with good friends, and reading more. I want to see what health milestones I can achieve this year!

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One of my guys brought me a couple of Miswak sticks this morning from Suez. Very cheap, less than 1 USD each (compared with the $10 price I saw online). While I had heard of the Miswak sticks before, I don't see them used that much in Egypt but did see them used a bit in Nigeria when I was there.

I'm curious pdjesson, do you think your teeth getting better since you became Muslim had anything to do with following Halal laws?

Perhaps, you don't see so many Miswaks due to the spread of modernism (to appear modern is to be better.) No doubt, you will see more pop (coke/pepsi) at fast-breaking (iftar) than traditional nutritive drinks, in whatever Muslim majority country you visit. It's a great shame because variety and good sense is being lost to the appearance of good moments.

I've never really considered whether the halal dietry laws and manners had helped. I never really went beyond the assumption that it was the use of the miswak, for it was the more immediately apparent cause and effect. On reflecting upon your inquiry, there are two sides to the answer; the apparent, which is that many migrant Muslim communities in the UK eat a lot of crap and are more concerned with cost than by quality. That being said, there is another side, that one encounters with reading, reflection and study. God commands in the Qur'an the we eat of the good with which He has provided us and that food should be halalun tayyibun (permitted and good/wholesome.) Even the most cursory understanding is that one should seek out quality foods... I had begun to write an extend essay of my thoughts on your question but found myself digressing to all sorts of areas that may or may not have been relevant. I think it's our unitary view of existence, we have difficulty compartmentalising out thoughts.

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I try to use flouride-free toothpastes, as I don't think flouride is so good for us. However, I also sometimes have sensitive teeth, and haven't found a flouride-free for sensitive teeth yet. I want to look into re-mineralizing and see if that helps instead but I can only make so many changes in my life at a time. (-:

I'm so curious though; what does being Muslim have to do with tooth health? What changes did you make due to religion? I'm not familiar with Muslim traditions or religious laws so I'm curious!

PearlTigress, from a very young age I had a mistrust of toothpaste which regrettably lead to me avoiding the toothbrush. I could understand why you'd put something in one's mouth, to clean one's teeth, yet be compelled not to ingest...?

We must all know the saying cleanliness is next to Godliness. Muslims believe this to be metaphysically and metaphysically true, and should act accordingly. The most glaring example is the pre-prayer lustrations. Muslims should offer prayers at least 5 times per day , performing lustrations before each (remembering that the prayer is a literal standing in the presence of God). In connection with this the Prophet Muhammad (God bless him) was reported to have said (in a near meaning); "If it wasn't for fear of putting the Muslims into difficulty I would have commanded the use of miswak (cleaning the teeth) before every prayer." It was something he (God bless him and give him peace) performed regularly, and he is the most emulated/copied man in history. It has been said that his teeth were like hail-stones. Also, our manners before people should be no less than our manners before God in the formal prayer....

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The black seed and mineral toothpaste arrived yesterday and tastes fine and OH has gone to work with a mishwak to chew on which I hope will stop him eating so much chewing gum as well as keep his teeth clean.

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I have been using the mishwak stick for about a week now and I like it. One thing interesting is that when I use a toothbrush, my gums bleed. There does not seem to be a problem with that with the mishwak. Maybe I need to start a US business importing them and selling them to the primal folks. Seems to be a good alternate to a toothbrush.

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I stopped using toothpastes that contain glycerin years ago... mostly I use Uncle Harry's tooth care paste or powders, or now I'm using something called Ipsab powder (from somewhere else), and I use my waterpic to "floss".

I'm starting to see some improvements in my gums. I had a lot of inflammation, and I think it's starting to go away. Systemic inflammation, in my opinion, has a lot to do with oral health.

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My #1 problem with oral health is my breath stinks due to post nasal drip. It's from seasonal allergies, and Zyrtec only goes so far to stop it. Recently, I've stopped using any kind of paste and just rinse/gargle with hydrogen peroxide every few days, and brush with water twice a day. My teeth feel fine and my gums feel better than they do when I brush with paste. If only my sinuses would agree...

Depression Lies

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I have been using the mishwak stick for about a week now and I like it. One thing interesting is that when I use a toothbrush, my gums bleed. There does not seem to be a problem with that with the mishwak. Maybe I need to start a US business importing them and selling them to the primal folks. Seems to be a good alternate to a toothbrush.

Not a bad idea. I tried it once, about seven years ago, long before I ever heard of Paleo. Happened to see them at a mall kiosk, and they worked alright. Haven't found them since, but it'd be nice to.

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Perhaps, you don't see so many Miswaks due to the spread of modernism (to appear modern is to be better.) No doubt, you will see more pop (coke/pepsi) at fast-breaking (iftar) than traditional nutritive drinks, in whatever Muslim majority country you visit. It's a great shame because variety and good sense is being lost to the appearance of good moments.

I've never really considered whether the halal dietry laws and manners had helped. I never really went beyond the assumption that it was the use of the miswak, for it was the more immediately apparent cause and effect. On reflecting upon your inquiry, there are two sides to the answer; the apparent, which is that many migrant Muslim communities in the UK eat a lot of crap and are more concerned with cost than by quality. That being said, there is another side, that one encounters with reading, reflection and study. God commands in the Qur'an the we eat of the good with which He has provided us and that food should be halalun tayyibun (permitted and good/wholesome.) Even the most cursory understanding is that one should seek out quality foods... I had begun to write an extend essay of my thoughts on your question but found myself digressing to all sorts of areas that may or may not have been relevant. I think it's our unitary view of existence, we have difficulty compartmentalising out thoughts.

You are dead on about the modernism bit. I have worked in several Muslim countries and Egypt has been one of the worse about allowing Western ways to seep into their culture. No doubt this is due to tourism being such a large part of Egypt's economy and catering to Western taste. I spent 2 years in Yemen and it wasn't even close to Egypt but they have few westerners there and little disposable income to buy much less than the basics. But they had an overall degree of good health that goes contrary to what CW says they should have.

Fast food on every street corner, all manners of junk food on the store shelves and sold in the kiosk, etc. I'm about 40 minutes South of Suez, in the middle of no where and there is a KFC and Pizza Hut within 10 minutes of my door.

But I'm trying to spread the Primal word around here, most of my friends are Muslim and my closest friends are also doctors. They have been much more receptive to hearing about the primal ideas and barefooting than western doctors are.